Ruby trudges through the scorching desert, the sun's relentless glare bearing down on her. Beads of sweat trickle down her forehead as she scans the arid landscape.
"Ugh, why does this place have to be a desert?" she grumbles, shielding her eyes from the sun's harsh rays. "I've never been in a desert before, and I'm not a fan."
She spots a small, lumbering creature in the distance, its thick, armored hide reflecting the sunlight. "What the heck is that thing?" Ruby mutters, taking a closer look. "Looks like some kind of oversized lizard."
Seeking respite from the unforgiving heat, Ruby spots a shaded alcove under a large rock formation. She makes her way over and gratefully sinks down, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"At least there's a little bit of shade here," she sighs, stretching out her legs. "I swear, if I have to trudge through another dune, I'm going to lose it."
Ruby leans back against the cool rock, taking a moment to catch her breath. She scans the area, watching the strange Apceros creatures amble by, their heavy footsteps kicking up small clouds of sand.
"I'm definitely not used to this kind of environment," she admits, frowning. "Back home, it's all lush forests and bustling cities. This place is just...empty."
Ruby pulls out her water canteen, taking a long, refreshing sip. As she screws the cap back on, her gaze drifts to the horizon, where the shimmering heat waves distort the distant landscape.
"Guess I better get moving again," she says, reluctantly pushing herself to her feet. "The sooner I find this Diabolos thing, the sooner I can get out of this godforsaken desert."
With a huff, Ruby steps back out into the scorching sunlight, determined to locate her target and complete the hunt.
Ruby spots a herd of Apceros gathered around a shimmering oasis, their heavy bodies dipping their snouts into the cool water. Seeing an opportunity to quench her own parched throat, she approaches the oasis cautiously, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.
As she bends down to scoop up a handful of the refreshing liquid, a sudden commotion startles her. The Apceros, once calm and content, begin to panic, their thunderous hooves kicking up clouds of sand as they flee in all directions.
"What the...?" Ruby mutters, straightening up in confusion. Her gaze darts around, searching for the cause of the herd's distress.
Then, a deep rumbling reaches her ears, a sound that sends a chill down her spine. Ruby's eyes widen as she sees the sand begin to shift, a massive shape emerging from beneath the surface. Her heart pounding, she realizes she doesn't want to stick around to find out what's causing the disturbance.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ruby turns and runs. The scorching desert air burns her lungs as she sprints, her only thought to put as much distance between herself and the unknown threat as possible.
The rumbling grows louder, and Ruby can feel the ground shaking beneath her feet. She risks a glance over her shoulder, and her eyes widen in horror as a towering, reptilian creature bursts from the sand, its massive jaws snapping at the air.
"Oh, crap!" Ruby cries, pumping her legs harder. "That's got to be the Diabolos!"
The Diabolos, its scales gleaming in the sunlight, gives chase, its powerful strides quickly closing the distance between them. Ruby can feel the heat of its breath on the back of her neck, and she knows she can't outrun the beast for much longer.
Desperately, she scans the horizon, searching for any sign of cover or a place to hide. The desert seems to stretch on endlessly, with no relief in sight.
Ruby's lungs burn, and her legs feel like lead, but she refuses to give up. She has to find a way to escape the Diabolos, or she'll be its next meal.
Ahead, she spots a rocky area with towering pillars of stone. Without hesitation, Ruby darts between the pillars, using the uneven terrain and shadows to her advantage. The Diabolos roars in frustration as it struggles to navigate the tight space, its massive body unable to fit through the narrow gaps.
Ducking behind a large rock, Ruby catches her breath, her heart pounding in her ears. She peers out cautiously, watching as the Diabolos continues to search for her, its massive head swinging from side to side.
Ruby crouches behind the large rock, her grip tightening on the Heavy Bowgun strapped to her back. Peeking out cautiously, she tracks the Diablos's movements, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
With a deep breath, Ruby steps out from her cover, raising the Heavy Bowgun and taking aim. She squeezes the trigger, sending a volley of explosive rounds hurtling towards the towering monster. The projectiles slam into the Diablos's thick hide, eliciting a deafening roar of pain and fury.
The Diablos whirls around, its massive horns lowered as it charges towards Ruby. She ducks back behind the rock, narrowly avoiding the creature's devastating attack. The ground trembles as the Diablos's claws dig into the earth, sending a shower of sand and debris in all directions.
Ruby peeks out again, firing another round of shots. The Diablos swings its spiked tail, knocking the projectiles aside with ease. It rears up on its hind legs, opening its cavernous mouth to unleash a guttural roar that sends shivers down Ruby's spine.
Knowing she can't keep this up forever, Ruby quickly reloads her Bowgun, her fingers deftly working the mechanism. As the Diablos prepares to strike again, she steps out from her cover, taking careful aim.
The Diablos lunges forward, its jaws snapping shut just inches from Ruby's face. She flinches, but holds her ground, squeezing the trigger. The explosive rounds slam into the Diablos's throat, causing the creature to recoil in pain.
Ruby darts to the side, narrowly avoiding the Diablos's thrashing tail. She continues to fire, the deafening cracks of her Bowgun echoing through the rocky outcrop. But the Diablos is relentless, its determination to eliminate the intruder fueling its every move.
The Diablos digs underground and vanishes. Ruby stays cautious, listening for any sign of movement. Rumbling noises reach her ears, and she realizes the Diablos is beneath her. But before she can react, the massive creature bursts from the ground, knocking Ruby into the air. Her Heavy Bowgun flies from her grasp.
Ruby scrambles to reach her weapon, but the Diablos looms over her, its jaws gaping wide. Ruby's heart races as she desperately searches for a way to escape, but it's too late. The Diablos lunges, and Ruby squeezes her eyes shut, bracing for the attack.
Diablos's massive jaws clamped down on Ruby, crushing her in its powerful grip. Her vision went dark as the life was squeezed from her body.
A panel appeared before her, the words "Retry?" blinking ominously. Ruby gritted her teeth in frustration; she looked at her chat and saw that they were mocking her.
"Ugh, really?" she groaned, glaring at the screen. Mocking emojis danced across the chat, infuriating her. "You guys think this is funny, huh? Just wait, I'm gonna get that overgrown lizard this time."
With a determined scowl, Ruby pressed the retry button, resolving to take down the Diablos and prove her worth.
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Advance chapters in my P@|r$0n/Najicablitz